Mission Impossible?
by Britva
Summary: The Order is sending Fred and Hermione on a dangerous mission. They are meant to play siblings, but when sparks fly, will they be able to keep their hands off each other? RR!
1. Make Believe Adulthood

A/N: This is my first Fred/Hermione story.. hopefully it's not terrible. If I write Fred too out of character, you can slap me with a flame, but hopefully you'll help me write him better. Anyways please review.

_Chapter One_

_**M**ake-B_elieve_ **A**dulthood_

Hermione, Ron and Harry sat huddled around the moldy bedroom door, listening with a pair of Extendable Ears to the debate that was taking place in the downstairs hallway. They were at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, there because the order was still functioning, even without Dumbledore.

"Who can we get to go now that Angelina can't," Molly queried sounding very worried.

"I'm not sure," Said Tonks, but she didn't volunteer either.

"How about Hermione? She's smart and reliable, it'd be easy having her along," Fred said, and Hermione gasped when she heard this. Ron and Harry looked over at her with wide eyes.

"Absolutely not! She's too young," Molly said sternly and Fred snorted.

"She's of age, Molly. If she wants to, there isn't anything we can do to prevent it, and she would be a good candidate for the job," Said a new voice, it was that of Remus Lupin and he sounded a bit wary, now that he'd put up an arguement to Molly's claim.

"We should discuss this with her," Arthur said and all the people in the room murmered their assent.

"I'll just pop up there and get her," Fred said.

Hermione, Harry and Ron hurriedly yanked the Extendable Ears in through the crack underneath the door and Harry was just stuffing them into his jean pocket when Fred apparated into the room.

"Tut, tut, listening in to conversations? What on earth has your family been teaching you," Fred said levelling a dissaproving look at Ron.

"Sod off, Fred," Ron said glaring at his older brother.

"Hermione, you are wanted downstairs. Although I bet you already knew that," Fred said with a wink and he dissapperated with a crack.

"See you," Hermione said to Ron and Harry before she too disapparated and reapparated into the downstairs hallway.

"Hermione, dear, you can say no if you want to. It's mighty dangerous what they want to ask of you, and if I was your mother I would never allow it," Molly said as soon as Hermione was there.

"Stop, Molly. Let us explain to her what is going on first," Remus said softly from a dilapidated sofa in the corner by the staircase.

He was looking mightily weather and his hair had nearly all gone gray. Hermione hadn't seem him in a few months and she couldn't say the time had been kind to him.

"Hermione, we need someone, a female someone, to accompany Fred when he goes to Bristol later this week. It's a mission for the Order, Fred is supposed to milk information out of an old woman named Amy Henderson, she is the god mother of one Lucuis Malfoy and she has quite the store of information. She owns an old country inn in Bristol and you would be going to stay there for a week," Arthur explained.

"Me and Angelina were going to pretend to be newlyweds, but that clearly isn't going to work now," Fred piped up.

"And we've already booked your stay too, under the names Rachel and Arnold Daniels," Molly fretted.

"We could go as brother and sister," Hermione volunteered and everyone stared at her as though just realizing she was there.

"Brilliant! That would be just fine," Arthur said excitedly and though Molly glowered, she kept her mouth shut.

"See, that's why she's perfect to go," Fred said in a very I-Told-You-So way.

"So you've accepted the job?" Remus asked and Hermione didn't even need a moment's thought, she nodded eagerly.

She had been wanting to do something, anything useful, and now here was her chance.

That night, Hermione set about packing a suitcase for the trip. She put a couple pairs of jeans in her bag and turned to look at the two glum boys behind her. Harry and Ron sat on her bed, both looking put out. They had heard everything that had been discussed downstairs and now they were sulking like two toddlers.

"You get to go away for a week, on an important mission, while we're stuck here? How is that fair," Ron said discordantly.

"I'm sorry, but I really want to do this," Hermione said grabbing a stack of neatly folded socks and placing them in beside her jeans.

"You know why they picked her, Ron. She's clever and brilliant at magic, plus she's a girl, which is what they wanted," Harry said and Hermione smiled at him.

Ron still looked sullen, but he nodded.

"I hope you don't have to share a room with my brother. He's a terrble slob," Ron said suddenly picking at the bed spread and looking at the floor.

"Oh, I'm not sure if I am," Hermione said, and she was suprised that no one had told her that little detail.

The more she thought about it though, the more she knew, there wasn't any possible way she wouldn't be sharing a room with Fred. They had booked the hotel when Angelina had been going, and to convincingly play a married couple, they'd of course have to stay in the same room. That as far as Hermione went with that line of thought, because Harry had thrown a cotton shirt at her head, hitting her squarely in the forehead.

"Hello, Miss Granger. Nice of you to join us," Harry said and Hermione shook her head to bring herself back to reality.

"Sorry, I was just dazing off," Hermione said and Harry laughed.

"Yeah, I noticed. Ron left by the way, got bored with you staring at that point in the wall and said he was peckish. I was going to do the same, but I thought I might snap you back first," Harry said and Hermione smiled gratefuly at him.

"See you at dinner," He called as he walked out the door.

Hermione put some underwear into her suitcase and zipped it up. It hadn't taken her long at all, and now she was all packed.

The next morning Hermione and Fred were getting a briefing on their trip. Hermione sat perched on the edge of a small wing-backed chair, intently listening to Remus. Fred, on the other hand, was sprawled across an armchair, still in his pajamas, he yawned occasionally and saw Hermione fighting not to do the same.

"Hermione, you're twenty and you've been working in the magical cosmetics market. Your father is James and your mother is Martha and you live in Surrey. Here is a packet, tells you everything about yourself, and I mean everything. Study it on the train ride to the inn, believe me you'll need something to do," Remus said handing Hermione a large yellow folder.

"Fred, here's yours," Remus said handing Fred a blue folder.

"You're twenty-three, and you work for an American company called Encom Magical Inc."

"What about this woman, is there anything we need to know about her," Hermione queried.

"I hate to say it, but we're related," Fred said from his chair, "Distantly of course."

"Will she recognize you?"

"I've never met her, but the flaming hair is a dead give away that I'm a Weasley," Fred said.

"We'll think of something," Hermione said waving her hand dismissively.

"There's a slight problem," Molly said as she came into the room, eyeing Hermione and Fred.

"What is that," Remus asked.

"They look nothing alike! They don't look like siblings," Molly explained gesturing to Fred with his extremely vivid hair and then to Hermione with her more low-key appearance.

"Mrs. Weasley that's easy to fix," Hermione said and she pulled her wand from her pocket," We can spell his hair to be brown. It fixes two problems at once, actually. That way Miss Henderson won't know he's a Weasley and we will hopefully look a bit like we could be related."

"Good idea," Remus said and Hermione nodded.

Turning to look at Fred, Hermione flicked her wand once and then did a small little wave with it, then put it back in her pocket. Fred reached up a hand to feel his hair, but nothing seemed different.

"I guess that will do, you do look a sight like brother and sister now," Molly admited.

"I do hate to see the hair go though, it's so... vibrant," Hermione said eyeing Fred who didn't look quite as bosterious with coppery brown hair.

"It will keep him out of trouble, and he'll blend in better," Molly said and Hermione nodded.

"Well, I think that's all for now. You are leaving in two days time on a train, you will stay they for a week, or more if it takes that," Remus said moving towards the door.

"It shouldn't," Fred said confidently.

The evening before they were to leave for Bristol, Hermione felt she needed to talk with Fred, get everything settled. She sought him out and found him in his temporary bedroom. He was just throwing things into a trunk and Hermione cringed at what that was doing to his cotton shirts.

"Fred, may I speak with you," Hermione queried shyly and Fred turned from his dresser with a boyish grin on his face. It seemed a bit off though without his amazing hair.

"Sure, Hermione," He said and he sat on his bed and stared at her with rapted attention.

Hermione blushed and shuffled her feet under his studiously tense gaze. He was doing it just to get her to laugh, but instead it was making her feel uncomfortable.

"Why... why wasn't Angeline able to do it," Hermione finally ground out and Fred relaxed back onto his bed and leaned against his half packed trunk.

"Oh nothing too sinsiter. Her parents weren't happy about it," Fred said and Hermione nodded, because that made sense.

"How did you get picked for this?"

"Oh, George said he'd take care of the shop and Lee's helping him, and the Order needed me. Seemed like a worthy cause at the time, but now the more I hear about how I'm supposed to be sucking the warty toes of some old lady, I'm not so sure I should have agreed," Fred said with a completely serious expression.

Hermione started laughing.

"I told mum, that maybe she could talk to Percy, toe-sucking always was more of his thing, but she got cross with me when I suggested it. Doesn't take me seriously for a moment, which is ridiclous when everyone who knows me, knows how humorless I am. Exploding toilets were always more my twin's thing, but no one believes me. I think that's the curse of looking like someone else," Fred said with such fake depression that Hermione held her side as she laughed for several minutes straight.

"Are you really bringing that ridiculous thing?"

Fred looked over at her as he was stuffing a large moose-head hat into his trunk.

"Of course, I don't go anywhere without him. Seymor is the ultimate babe magnet," Fred said haughtily.

Hermione giggled and tried to be serious by rolling her eyes at him.

"Well thank you for the interesting conversation. I will leave you to your packing now, goodnight," Hermione said as she opened the door to his room to leave.

"Goodnight, Hermione. See you in the morning," Fred called sincerely, but Hermione fought more giggles off because although he hadn't said anything funny, his rear end was currently in the air, as it seemed he'd dived face first into his trunk.

She only allowed herself a chuckle when she was safely out in the hall.


	2. On The Road To Mischief

A/N: Wow, I'm glad I got reviews for this, I'm not so sure how it's going really.

**PandylBas: **Haha of course she was checking him out. Fred Weasley has a fine bottom.

_Chapter Two_

**O**_n The **R**oad To **M**ishcief_

Hermione walked into the parlor room in the former Black mansion. Her suitcase was clutched in one hand and she was dressed in dark turquoise robes. Fred grinned as he saw her come in, he had his beaten looking trunk at his feet and he was likewise dressed in wizard robes. Molly stood to one side fussing at Fred's sleeve which seemed to be coming unraveled.

"Why didn't you tell me your robes were coming apart?" Molly asked in an exasperated voice.

"I like it this way," Fred said sarcastically and his mother glared at him.

Hermione turned away from them so that they wouldn't see her fighting back laughter. When she turned back around Molly had left Fred alone and instead was now fretting over Harry, who had dark circles under his eyes and was looking a little queasy. Hermione moved to Fred's side, he was finger the edge of his sleeve thoughtfully. When he noticed Hermione, who was watching Mrs. Weasley apprehensively, he thought he'd break the tension.

"Oh, Harry! I just noticed, your stunning green eyes. Are those naturally that color? Why dear, you look peeky, have you eaten all your vitamins? I wouldn't want you to become deathly ill with the flu," Fred called and Harry grinned thankfully at him, as Mrs. Weasley turned to shoot a scathing look at her son.

Hermione giggled, she couldn't help it the look on Mrs. Weasley's face was so furious and Fred was looking absolutely innocent.

"Well, are we almost set?" Called Lupin as he came into the room trailed by Tonks and Arthur Weasley.

"Almost, I just don't know where Ginny and Ron are. They should be here to wish their friend and brother good luck," Molly said.

As soon as Mrs. Weasley had voiced her annoyance, Ginny bound into the room looking cheerful and Ron lagged behind her his face screwed up into a scowl.

"We're going to miss you, Hermione," Harry said coming and giving her a hug.

"Have fun, I know your going on a mission, but don't forget to enjoy yourself a bit," Ginny said likewise hugging Hermione.

Ron stood behind his sister, nervously rocking on the balls of his feet. When it came his turn to bid Hermione goodbye, his ears turned a cherry red.

"Bye, Ron," Hermione said after a moment of awkward silence where Ron stared at her and she stared at him.

She pulled him into a quick hug and then turned to Molly.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley for your hospitality. See all of you soon," Hermione said and she looked over at Fred.

Ginny, who was the last to say goodbye to her brother, was just giving him a quick hug when Fred noticed Hermione was waiting for something.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Yeah," Fred said taking the handle of his trunk in one hand, Hermione did likewise with her suitcase.

With two quick 'pop's they were gone.

They reappeared in front of a large train station. Quickly walking in they found a trolley near the door and put their bags on it. Fred pushed it, while Hermione consulted their tickets.

"We should be... right... here," Hermione said leading Fred to a large blue train.

They boarded the train, opting to stow their belongings in the luggage compartment. Once that was done, they wandered down the train looking for their seats.

"B31 and B32," Hermione said happily as she plopped her bottom down on her seat.

Fred sat down next to her being careful to tuck his long legs in. Once settled, Hermione pulled both their assignment packets out of her shoulder bag and placed Fred's on the table in front of him.

"Ahh, Hermione I wanted to take a nap," Fred said stretching out his arms and relaxing back into the seat.

"Work first, we have to know what is going on and what we're supposed to act like _before_ we get there," Hermione chided and Fred sat up begrudingly and picked up his folder.

"I think we should call each other by our fake names from now on, it will be good practice, so neither of of slip up when we are there," Hermione said and Fred nodded.

"So, little sis, how long until you and Rock get engaged," Fred asked and Hermione laughed, "What are you talking about, Arnie?"

Fred wrinkled his nose, "Arnie is a terrible nick name."

"Sorry, Arnold. Who picked that name anyway," Hermione wondered and Fred shook his head.

"My mother. I'm sure of it, she was going to name one of us Arnold, but dad was staunchly opposed," Fred explained.

"So what in the world were you talking about?" Hermione asked and Fred looked confused for a moment.

"Oh yeah, Rock," Fred said snorting with laughing, "It says in here that you are dating him. I don't get why they put that, but I thought it would be fun to make-up stuff about this Rock guy."

"I suppose you're right," Hermione said as she flipped through the pages of her folder, looking for what Fred had read.

"Poor Rock, always was a bit pidgeon-toed, and walked with a slight hunch, but he makes up for it with his lovely singing voice and uncanny ability to know exactly what a person ate just by smelling their breath," Fred said dramatically and Hermione looked up at him.

"That's not very nice. Are you trying to make my boyfriend out to be a loser?"

"Rachel, why I'd never!"

"Fine, Fred," Hermione said and Fred gasped at her mistake, "I mean Arnold. I heard your girlfriend Veronica is a real beauty, with her five teeth and all."

Fred pretended to look stunned.

"She's got a great personality though," He said sounding as though he was really lamenting about a real person.

Hermione laughed and went about reading the contents of her folder, front to back.

Fred looked his over without much interest and then stretching out his legs and being careful not to kick the elderly couple sitting acrossed from them, he went to sleep.

When they arrived at the train station, Hermione and Fred hurried off the train, the station they were at was a small country one, out in the middle of no where. It was perfect for what they were about to do. Walking a ways away from the station, Hermione and Fred waited while everyone got off the train and went into the station. Finally, when all the new passengers had boarded and the train started to pull away. As soon as it was out of sight around the next bend, Hermione and Fred both gripped their luggage by their handles and after a brief moment of concentration, dissappeared with two faint 'pop's.

Hermione and Fred reappeared in the dirt drive way of a cozy looking inn, which was painted white and a starkly bright purple. They walked up the front steps and stood on the small porch for a moment. Fred opened the door for Hermione and she drug herself and her bag through, muttering thank you as she hadn't realized how heavy her bag was until now.

Fred, looking amused followed her inside. The front lobby of the inn was decorated in a very chic way, with black leather couches sitting in front of a very modern looking hearth. One would have never guessed from the outside the nature of the furnishings inside. The man behind the glass counter was filing his nails with a bored expression.

As Hermione and Fred approached, he looked up and set his nail file away with a sigh.

"Welcome to the Carnation Inn," He said with a dry nasally voice.

"Hi, we have a reservation for a room, under Daniels," Fred said taking out a small pouch which clinked with coins.

"Ahh yes, Suite 20 on the second floor," Came the flat reply as Fred passed some Galleons across the counter. He handed them a strange little metal object and Fred turned and pulled out his wand.

His trunk rose from the ground and so did Hermione's suitcase, she looked gratefully at him and took the metal key from him. They walked over to the gold lift and stepped inside. It was kind of small, but they fit inside well enough. Hermione pushed the large black number two and the doors snapped closed. Soft elevator music drifted over them and Fred made a face. When the doors opened once again on the second floor, Hermione stepped out and Fred floated their things out behind her.

"It's this way," Hermione said after consulting the sign on the wall.

They walked down the hall until they got to the door mark SUITE 20. Hermione looked at the metal thing dubiously, as Fred lowered their things to the ground.

"It works like this," Fred said taking the metal wand looking thing and waving it back the key hole, the door popped open and he handed it back to Hermione.

She pocketed the little metal object and grabbed her suitcase. Fred held the door open as she manually pulled it through the door. Once inside, Hermione put her suitcase against the wall and turned to look at their lodgings. The room was huge, a high white ceiling, with an actual skylight is what caught Hermione completely off gaurd at first. Looking around more though, she was quite suprised, the carpet was white, like fresh snow and the bed spread on the enormous bed was blue. The bathroom was to her right and just glancing through the door, she could see a large black marble bathtub.

There was a sitting area also, with large dark blue couches and a fireplace in front of them. Hermione had never seen such a fancy hotel room, and she was even more suprised because everyone had always mentioned this place like it was a small rustic inn. This was very fancy for a country inn.

"Very nice room," Fred said jumping onto the bed.

He gave the bed a couple of customary bounces and then settled down a bit and sat on the edge. Hermione was browsing through the room service menu that had been lying on the bed side table.

"Dinner is at six o 'clock in the main dining room," Hermione said after a moment. Fred just nodded and then she dropped the bomb.

"Formal attire is required."


	3. The Disasterous Affair

A/N: I'm very thankful for all the reviews I recieved. I was actually quite shocked when I found out I had nine new reviews and then even more. I will give a general thanks to people who just say, great story, update soon, but people who say something more specific will get singled out. Something I'd like to point out is that in chapter two, no one caught that Fred called Hermione by her real name and then chided her for using his. I fixed it though so now she's the only one who makes a mistake. And also, the idea for them having to dress up to go to dinner came out of absolutely no where. I was going to make this chapter much longer, but after so many demanding reviews I thought I'd just get it out there for you to enjoy.

**AngelWooWoo: **I never thought of that. Now I'll have to work in something about "Rock" being insanely immature and possesive, just kidding!

**PearlyJammer**: Yes, I suppose they are. I will try and make it as funny as possible, although I'm not sure how good I am at humor.

**RonGranger: **Just thought I'd point out that you made me think of a McDonalds comercial. "Buddmmp ba-ba-ba-ba I'm lovin' it"

_Chapter Three_

**A **_D_isasterous** A**_ffair_

Fred shot up from the bed at Hermione's announcement. He had packed some fancy dress robes, but he hadn't thought he'd actually be wearing them. Hermione rushed to her suitcase and began to throw clothes out, totally undoing all her neat packing skills. Carefully picking his way over Hermione's now rumpled clothing, Fred opened his trunk and tucking his dress robes under his arm, went into the bathroom.

Hermione, meanwhile, had found what she was looking for, in the form of some crisply pressed light blue robes and what she'd be wearing underneath them, a soft white dress. Fred was hogging the bathroom, so Hermione dressed in the room. She quickly folded her old clothes and looked at the mess she had made. Clothes were strewn everywhere, but it only took a quick wave of Hermione's wand and everything was neatly put to order in her trunk.

She could hear the water running in the bathroom and figured Fred was brushing his teeth. She sat on the bed and looked at her watch. It was five-fifty. Rolling her eyes at her partner, Hermione let herself lay back on the bed and relax for a moment.

The door to the bathroom opened suddenly and Hermione bolted up. Fred immerged, but Hermione almost didn't recognize him. He was dressed in the most astonishingly red robes Hermione had ever seen and his brown hair was ruffled, but in a very pleasing way. If it weren't for the familiar bright blue eyes, she'd of thought someone else had snuck into her room while she was resting.

"Ready to go, Rachel," Fred asked nervously fiddling with collar of the white shirt he was wearing underneath the robes.

"Yes," Hermione said blushing only a little bit, at the way her voice had come out all breathless sounding.

They didn't speak as they walked to the lift and got in. Hermione was very nervous, but Fred seemed to be fine. He was humming under his breath and looked at a poster advertising Wanda's Wonderful Wands that was plastered to the wall of the lift. He turned and gave Hermione a reasurring grin, but she could only smile wanly at him, but it looked more like a grimace.

"What if I blow the whole thing?" Hermione wondered out loud and Fred had the grace to look suprised.

"You must be joking, Rachel. You are the brightest witch I know, if anyone can pull this off, it will be you," Fred said and Hermione gulped and nodded.

"Thanks."

"Just don't call me Gred and you'll be good to go," He joked and Hermione actually smiled.

The lift doors opened and they proceeded out into the lobby and acrossed to some fancy wooden doors. Fred held the door for Hermione and she flashed him a thankful look.

"What do you think, Mrs. Henderson is like? I figured she's got to be an old bat," Hermione said and Fred looked suddenly sick and she couldn't fathom why.

"Hello, I'm Mrs. Henderson," Came a loud boyant voice.

Hermione instantly paled and turned to look at the woman who had spoken.

Amy Henderson did not look her age. She was an average sized woman with curly white hair and a youthful looking face. Her robes were pale gold and she was giving Hermione a very cold look.

"Hello, Mrs. Henderson. I'm Arnold Daniels and this is my rude little sister Rachel," Fred said smoothly and Mrs. Henderson turned her startling blue eyes on him.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Daniels," Mrs. Henderson said and her voice was very business like. She gave Fred a firm smile and an even firmer handshake and walked away.

Hermione put her head in her hands. Fred led her, still clutching her face in horror, to a large table that sat in the front of the room.

"I'm completely mortified," Hermione said as soon as she was seated.

Fred who had seated himself beside her, laughed.

"It wasn't that bad. She'll be alright once she really gets to know you," He said and Hermione shook her head.

"I don't think so."

Lots of other people had come to sit at their table, seemingly it was the most important table, because Mrs. Henderson had seated herself at the head of it.

Fancy serving maids came in to pour them each a glass of butterbeer and a smartly dressed man took their orders. Hermione decided on a salad, while Fred went for the fish and chips combination. The waiter nodded to show he understood and briskly went through a set of white double doors. Everyone at the table was speaking quietly amongst themselves, when a very crisp voice cut across everyone elses conversations to hit the ears of a couple sitting halfway down from the top.

"Mr. Bervre, why it is you have not brought your lovely wife and daughter," Mrs. Henderson asked briskly.

The woman sitting beside Mr. Bervre looked like she wanted to melt into the carpet and Mr. Bevre, himself, had turned a slight pink.

"They weren't feeling well," He said gruffly.

"Then who is your beautiful companion this evening," Mrs. Henderson without a hint of mercy for either of them.

"This is Mattie Dorfin," Mr.Bervre said looking helpless.

"Miss Dorfin, how do you know our wonderful Mr. Bervre here?"

"We.. we were friends in school," Mattie said in a wavering tone, while blushing profusely.

"Ahh wonderful," Mrs. Henderson said and she turned to talk to the person beside her, leaving Miss Dorfin and Mr. Bervre to chat quite animatedly to each other.

"She's terrible," Hermione whispered to Fred, when she was absolutely sure that Mrs. Henderson was preoccupied.

"You know I agree with you, but I can't help feeling Mr. Bervre was going to get his sooner or later," Fred said equally as quiet.

"Mr. Daniels where are you and your sister from?" Mrs. Henderson asked suddenly and Fred's head shot up.

"We're from London," Fred said easily and Mrs. Henderson nodded.

"Very large place. Don't like it much myself. Why is it that you travel without a young lady of your own?"

Fred laughed and was about to answer, but Hermione spoke before he could.

"Arnold's girlfriend doesn't have the nice manners a place like this requires," Hermione said shooting Fred a quick look.

"So she is uncultured," Mrs. Henderson said now looking at Hermione, her voice was nearly the same, but had turned wintery now that she was addressing Hermione.

"I suppose you could say that. She's a terrible bore too, not very high minded, if you know what I mean. My brother always has had a soft spot for the less-fortunate," Hermione said giving Fred a nudge with her shoulder.

He just smiled weakly and stared at his plate. He wanted to stop Hermione from making a fool of herself, but he'd have to hold her down and put a sock in her mouth to do it, and that wouldn't have looked very good to the people gathered at the table.

"And you think it's funny to make fun of someone who is not as _intelligent _as you think you are," Mrs. Henderson asked coldly and Hermione shrunk back a little.

"No, I just... I'm sorry," Hermione said and then she fell silent, her face burning and her mind racing at why it had all gone over so badly.

"Arnold, how about your sister, I can't imagine it, but does she have a boyfriend," Mrs. Henderson asked and Fred nodded his head before he looked up.

He felt a little like he was being lured into a trap, but he took a deep breath and gave Mrs. Henderson a winning smile.

"Oh she does. He's a right laugh. He's a partial owner of a joke shop in Diagon Alley, something Weazy," Fred started and Hermione looked over at him in suprise.

"Weasley's Wizarding Weezes?" Mrs. Henderson inquired.

"That's it!"

"Yes, my Great-Stepbrother's grandchildren own that shop. Two of the biggest miscreants, from what I hear, but people like that make life interesting," Mrs. Henderson said and it was Fred's turn to look a little shocked.

"Yes, I suppose," He said uncertainly.

"A couple of handsome boys are they not," Mrs. Henderson said proudly and Hermione peeked out from under her eyelashes.

When she realized that the question was directed at her, she thought she might have a chance at redeeming herself.

"Oh yes, very handsome! I was only joking about Arnold's girlfriend, she's quite lovely actually. But the twins are quite fabolous, although their disregard for rules has rubbed on my nerves a time or two," Hermione said and Fred laughed.

"You're too much of a stickler."

"Well how nice, do tell the twins I would like to come to their shop sometime," Mrs. Henderson said, in a very flippant way, meaning she would never do such a thing. With that said, she turned to pick on a dumpy woman sitting to her left.

It was then that their food arrived and Hermione and Fred dug in with the hope that while their mouths were full and they were making such a show of eating, that Mrs. Henderson wouldn't talk to them. This strategy worked, and even after Hermione had scooped up the last little piece of lettuce off her plate and Fred had popped the last chip noisily into his mouth, Mrs. Henderson didn't turn to speak to either of them.

"Dinner is over, you can return to your rooms," Mrs. Henderson called


	4. A Redeeming Quality

A/N: Thank you once again for all the reviews. You guys are wonderful! When I saw how many I had gotten, I let some very colorful words fly, but they were out of joy I assure you. Oh and the line in here where Fred goes to the bathroom and he says 'Wish me luck!' is from another Fred/Hermione story, 'Doublemint Gum' by Tempest Break, I liked it so much I just had to use it.

**AngelWooWoo: **Yes, suprisingly I modeled her after my grandmother (in looks and the curt, business like attitude), but when I got to her personality I was actually thinking of Rose's mother in Titanic. She's supposed to be a gossiping old bigot.

**lughnasadhfirecat**: Heck yes, I like the mission too.Thank you ever so much for adding my story to your favorites and alerts.

**Gilraen Aclamense**: Why thank you, I happen to think so too.

**RonGranger**: Well alrighty then. I'm glad you do.

**cantateddomino**:Has anybody ever told you flattery gets you everywhere. No, no I need him! Well actually he was talking about George, but only because he panicked.

**Sarah**: Thank you very much! I thought about that, once, but I didn't think she's too well known... not how she looks anyway. You gave me the perfect idea, a good twist and an appearance by my favorite HP character are now in the works.

**Moony4Moony**:Well I share a bed with my sibling when I go places... it's not that weird. Oh, Fred just didn't know what to say... Rock will probably make an appearance again.

**ZepplinGirl**: Haha, don't worry Kelsey, they won't be 'brother and sister' for long.

**RedXTears**: Well I agree with you. She's not very nice, but I enjoy writing her too. And I will :)

**notavailible**: That is quite alright I'm tired myself.

**tiger-lily9240**: Well, Hermione's got to rub someone the wrong way, she's too bossy not to. I never thought she'd be sauve or good at getting people to laugh, so I kinda liked that she fell flat on her face.

_Chapter Four_

**A** _R_edeeming **Q**_uality_

Hermione and Fred went to their hotel room in silence. Hermione almost wanted Fred to start yelling at her for being a claud and mucking everything up, but he didn't. Instead he gave her a comforting smile when she collasped onto the bed with a defeated moan. He sat on the edge and yawned.

"I don't see how that could have gone any worse," Hermione said shaking her head in dismay.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, you did fine," Fred said and Hermione snorted.

"At least she likes you. You charmed them all which, I guess, isn't that suprising," Hermione said complimentary.

"Years and years of work, my dear. Me and George had to come up with a brilliant cover so people wouldn't get _too_ mad when we blew things up," Fred said seriously.

"It worked. Proffesor McGonagall still liked you, even when you smashed the rules to pieces," Hermione said in a kinda of miffed voice.

"Oh, she likes to pretend to be stuffy, but underneath she's a wildcat," Fred said waving his hand as though it was ridiculous to think otherwise.

"No, she's not," Hermione said rolling her eyes and Fred looked at her with wide eyes.

"Are you crazy! We snuck into a staff party once and she was swinging from a chandelier, in her knickers! Of course, that's an image that will stick with you, especially since she was drunkenly singing, "Cat Scratch Fever."

Hermione laughed, "Are we talking about the same Proffesor?"

"The one in the same, Mrs. Minerva McGonagall, about yay high, pinched looking face, usually looks like she swallowed a ruler."

"I can't believe that," Hermione said shaking her head and getting up. She went to her suitcase and pulled out pajamas.

"I'm tired, I think I'll go straight to bed," Hermione said to no one in particular.

Fred nodded and pulled out his own pajamas from his trunk.

"Wish me luck," He said in the voice of someone off to face a dragon and skipping slightly, he headed into the bathroom and shut the door just as Hermione was about to say something. She made a very sour face at the closed door and muttered under her breath about "Bathroom-hogging red heads," as she went about taking off her dress robes and getting into her Pjs.

Fred immerged wearing blue shorts and a light blue shirt, just as Hermione was placing her blue muggle alarm clock on the bedside table. She quickly set it and turned to look at Fred. Her eyes were at once drawn to Fred's muscular legs, which happened to be covered in ginger colored hair.

"Your hair is red everywhere?" Hermione asked before she could stop herself and she blushed crimson as Fred grinned at her evilly.

"Of course, but if I showed you, I'd feel like you were taking advantage of me, since I am in such a delicate state," Fred said and Hermione scoffed and got into bed.

"Oh yes, Fred, I'm can see you telling your mum that I took advantage of you. Me being a foot shorter than you and built like a twig," Hermione said rolling her eyes as she plumped her pillow.

"Hey, it could happen! Happened to Lee Jordan once. I'm not joking," Fred said when Hermione began to giggle.

"Although she wasn't built like you, she was a little bit taller and really muscular. We watched as she put him into a head lock once," Fred said gleeful in the rememberance.

"And you didn't help him out," Hermione asked incrediously.

"Of course not, you should have seen her. She was bloody terrifying," Fred said with a a fake shiver.

"So Lee Jordan likes brutish girls, poor boy," Hermione shaking her head, but she was still laughing.

"Yes, I know we're all going to miss him," Fred said wiping away an imaginary tear.

Fred rolled down the covers on his side of the bed and hopped in. Hermione rolled over so she was facing him. Fred wiggled around for a moment, getting comfortable and once he was settled, he noticed Hermione looking at him with the most mournful look on her face.

"Who killed your cat," He asked suddenly and Hermione merely blinked at him in suprise.

"Wh.. what?"

"You look like someone murdered your dearest pet," Fred said and Hermione nodded.

"I was just thinking about how much I miss seeing you with red hair," Hermione said and Fred laughed.

"Oh, that's all it is? You had me worried for a moment. It's only a glamour isn't it? Easy to reverse," Fred said and he picked up his wand from the bedside table, where he had set it earlier.

Screwing up his face in concentration he pointed his wand at his own head and muttered to himself. Instantly his hair was vibrant red again. He smiled at Hermione then he changed his hair back to the dull brown it had been before.

"Happy?"

"I suppose. I'm feeling a little home sick I guess," Hermione said rolling onto her back now, so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye.

"Ahh, for your parents," Fred said with an understanding nod.

"Actually no, I miss being at the Burrow," Hermione said and she smiled to herself.

"And why is that," Fred asked and then teasingly he said, "My darling little brother?"

"Ron? No, it's everyone. Your family is so amazing," Hermione gushed and then she stopped because she felt like an idiot.

Fred didn't know what to say to that, and after a moment of awkward silence, he said goodnight.

"Goodnight," Hermione chirped, ducking further under the covers.

The sun was just streaking through the window when a loud beeping filled the room. Fred shot up and looked around, trying to untangle himself from Hermione. She groaned and rolled over to hit the snooze button on her alarm. Sometime during the night they'd become hopelessly wrapped around each other. Hermione didn't think this would phase Fred, but he didn't make it an issue so she didn't feel embarrased either, which she was thankful for. Instead he hopped out of bed and grabbed the breakfast menu.

"We're supposed to go downstairs for breakfast, it's our chance to keep buttering Mrs. Henderson up," Hermione groaned from the bed, where she was still sprawled out.

"We've got a little time, you want to go spruce yourself up," Fred asked Hermione sat up and looked at Fred as though he'd lost his mind.

"Your allowing me into the bathroom," She asked sounding flattered.

"Sorry about that, old habit really. I've never shared a room with a woman before," Fred said sheepishly.

The way he said it like she was something special, made her smile inwardly.

"Thank you, I guess a warm shower would be nice," Hermione said swinging her legs over the side of the bed and getting up.

She stretched her arms above her head and gave out a contented sigh. Walking over to her suitcase, she pulled out her toiletries and clothes for the day and went into the bathroom. Hermione was very used to having her own bathroom, being an only child, but she was considerate and took the least amount of time she could to shower and brush her teeth. With a flick of her wand her hair was dry and although she frowned at the poufy nature of it, with a couple of pins she had it looking decent.

She emerged from the bathroom, shiny and clean and Fred gave her an admiring look before he passed her and shut the door with a click.

Living with a male was deffinately different, but not intolerable. She was much more conscious of what she pulled out of her bag when he was in the room and keeping her personal items secret was a top priority.

Fred came out of the bathroom, his hair was still wet, but he was wearing a new set of robes. Hermione couldn't figure out why she hadn't noticed what beautiful blue eyes Fred had. They were gorgeous and the navy robes he was wearing accentuated them perfectly. She blushed and turned away, fussing with skirt. Fred glanced at his appearance in the mirror over a small table and turned to Hermione.

"Here we go again," She groaned as he walked to the door, opened it and waited for her to walk through.

"After last night, there can't be much else you can do to Mrs. Henderson. You know, besides setting her hair on fire, or spitting in her tea," Fred joked and Hermione smiled.

She was silently glad for his company. She could have never made it on her own. Every time she felt unsure or upset, he was there with an encouraging word or a joke and she would be right as rain again. She'd never thought much of the duel pranksters, but now having spent so much time with one of them, she had to say there was more to them then what met the eye.

Hermione pushed the button for the lift and the doors slid open easily. She and Fred stepped in and the doors closed. Fred was nearest the buttons and Hermione, who was rummaging through her purse, expected him to push the button for downstairs. Instead, Fred turned to Hermione.

"You know, if you were yourself today, I'm sure Mrs. Henderson wouldn't loath you as much, or if you don't like that idea, you could always don a blond wig, stick a Canary Cream on her plate and tell her what you think of her, while whistling the theme to Chicago, of course," Fred was saying and Hermione looked up from the lip balm she'd found and saw his mischeivious grin.

"As entertaining and high out of character as that sounds, I think I will just try to blend," Hermione said rolling her eyes slightly at his ridiculous suggestion. Fred finally pushed the button and Hermione quickly spread the balm on her lips. The strong scent of cherries wafted over to him and Hermione suddenly snapped her fingers making him jump.

"Chicago? That's a muggle musical," Hermione said rounding on him as if he'd told her he was the Minister of Magic.

"Yes, Angelina dragged me to one once. Thought it was a riot, and all that jazz," Fred said stamping his foot as if tap dancing and striking a very silly pose.

"You are very strange sometimes," Hermione giggled.

The lift doors opened then and they walked to the dining room. All the guest from the previous night seemed to be there, along with a couple of newcomers. Everyone was milling around wait for Mrs. Henderson to seat herself, but she seemed more content to chat with the different guest. Mrs. Henderson was like a shark after fresh meat, as soon as she laid eyes on Fred, she came over, eyes gleaming.

"Mr. Daniels, since you proved good company yesterday, I was wondering if you would sit beside me at breakfast this morning," Mrs. Henderson said in a slightly smarmy way.

Fred looked at Hermione who gave him an encouraging nudge. She had the mission on her mind, and it was imperative that Mrs. Henderson bond with Fred, because she obviously despised Hermione. The older woman actually smiled at Hermione for pushing Fred a bit. Fred walked to the head of the table and sat to Mrs. Henderson's left making sure to wave and wink at Hermione, who had taken a seat next to Mr. Bervre and a young man who was stuttering wildly now to a woman across the way.

Hermione unfolded her napkin and put it carefully in her lap, the waiter came and Hermione ordered a chocolate crepe. Sipping a bit of the orange juice that had been placed before her, Hermione eyed the man sitting next to her. He seemed to be the only person that wasn't there with someone else and his black rimmed glasses and rather large front teeth, reminded Hermione of someone. She watched as he nervously fiddled with his fork and then took a small notebook out of his pocket. Pulling out a quill as well he started scribbling in the tablet at a furious pace.

On Hermione's other side, Mr. Bervre chuckled and knocked her elbow.

"Ministry lackey, that one is," He said to Hermione and the young man looked up sheepishly and put the quill and pad away.

"I am swamped and even though the Ministry sent me on this trip for relaxtion, I still have a million things to do," He said quickly.

"What department do you work in," Hermione asked and he turned a bright pink.

"Ministry Of Foreign Affairs," Was his shy answer.

Though he lacked the air of pompousness Percy had, he was a suprising reminder of that particular Weasley.

Hermione looked up to where Fred was smoozing with Mrs. Henderson. From where she sat, it looked like the old woman was eating out of the palm of his hand. This was good because they only had five more days to try and get her to open up and reveal her families secrets.

From what Hermione had read in her packet, Mrs. Henderson was a pureblood witch, who, while being Lucius Malfoy's godmother, she wasn't tied in with them. In fact, Hermione had read, the older woman wasn't fond of Lucius at all, but she did know his secrets, which is what made her useful to the Order. Hermione was snapped out of her thoughts, when she heard a loud coughing.

Mr. Bervre had become very red in the face and seemed to gasping for air as he huffed and hacked beside Hermione. She got out of her seat like a shot and coming to stand behind the older man, she tentavely helped up from the table. Thinking quickly, Hermione put her hands around Mr. Bervre and while squeezing tightly, she heaved with all her strength and was able to get the man a few inches off the floor before dropping him back down.

Like magic a large round object flew from Mr. Bervre's mouth and would have hit the woman sitting across the table in the forehead, but she ducked just in time and it instead hit the wall. Mr. Bervre guzzled water down and the people of the table all got to there feet.

"That was mighty admirable, saving his life like that," Mrs. Henderson said at Hermione's elbow, and she whipped around, suprised not only that the old woman was speaking to her, but that she'd managed to slip that close to Hermione without her realizing it.

"I just followed my instincts," Hermione said modestly and Mrs. Henderson shook her head as she started edging back to the head of the table.

"Maybe I was wrong about you."

Bewildered and feeling rather shaky, Hermione stood rooted to the spot while people kept coming up, wanting to shake her hand and congradulate her on being such a quick thinker. Fred squeezed through the crowd and put his arm around her.

"Good job, Sis," He said loudly.

He hugged her close to his side, when he felt her trembling against him. Slowly he menuavered them towards the exit. They were almost there when a formidable road block appeared in pale purple robes.

"Where are you two, lovely children going?" Mrs. Henderson cooed.

"She's not feeling very well," Fred said and Mrs. Henderson looked sympathetically at Hermione.

"Go lie down, dear. Maybe you'll feel better in a bit," She said sounding more like the old grandmother that she was.

"Thank you," Hermione said weakly and supporting Hermione's weight, Fred went into the lift.


	5. Educating Fred Weasley

_Chapter Five_

**E**ducating _F_red **W**easley

Once inside the lift, Hermione pushed away from Fred and stood on her own, being careful to stop gulping her air. Once she had reign of her breathing she smiled wanly at Fred who was watching her with worried eyes.

"You all right, Hero?" He said lightly, but he was looking at her very closely.

"Just panicked a bit," Hermione said sounded just a bit bitter.

"You were wonderful, I don't understand the sudden panic attack at the end," Fred said and Hermione shrugged.

"My head is killing me, and my heart started beating a mile a minute when all those people crowded around me," Hermione said running a hand over her forehead.

She winced as her head gave a particularly painful throb and Fred put his hand on her arm, as she swayed.

"I have a head ache potion in my bag. I sometimes get them," Fred said softly into Hermione's hair.

She murmured her thanks and they walked out of the lift when the doors opened. Fred fumbled with the metal wand key, but finally got the door open and pulled Hermione inside. He led her to the bed, which had just been made by the house elves and made her sit down there, while he looked through his things for the potion. She tried not to look at his derriere, which was once again in her line of sight, instead she look to the hotel door and bit her lip.

"Here you go," Fred said suddenly. He was standing in front of her with a glass bottle in hand. He handed it to her when she finally put her hand out for it.

Hermione swished it around, wondering at the strange color. She'd never seen a head ache potion like this before. Shrugging, she uncorked the bottle and giving Fred a quick surveying look, gulped the contents. Fred had come to sit on the bed beside her and he watched in slight amusement as she swigged.

As soon as the potion hit her insides she felt much, much better. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and putting the back on the bottle, set it on the floor.

"What was the extra ingredient?"

"What," Fred asked, caught off guard by her question.

"The potion. No head ache potion tastes _good. _What did you do to it," Hermione asked in an almost accusatory fashion.

"Mint leaves," Fred said scrunching his nose at her menacing look.

"Oh."

"I know you've always looked down your nose at me and George, but I'm really not as stupid as you've always made me out to be," Fred said smoothly.

"I didn't mean to come off that way, Fred. I know I may have seemed harsh and severe, but I was only worried about you getting in trouble, losing house points or hurting yourselves," Hermione babbled.

Fred started laughing and Hermione looked at him with a confused expression on her face.

"I was joking! I know how you are, rules girl, don't worry," Fred said shaking his head.

"That wasn't nice, Frederick Weasley," Hermione said sounding severe, "And I resent being called 'Rules Girl'. Do you think I have no other life than abiding rules all day long and helping people less intelligent than me? Or do you think I fill those hours with brown-nosing?"

"No, I didn't mean to offend you," Fred said suddenly sounding serious.

Hermione smirked at him.

"Good because you didn't."

Fred grinned again.

"Turned my own trick on me, you tricky little doxy," Fred said tweaking her nose.

Hermione pulled away from him and rolled across the bed in a comical display of the pants she had on underneath her robes and got off the bed.

"Where are you going?" Fred asked as she pulled her robes over her head, neatly folded them and stuck them on the bed. She then grabbed a small burgundy purse from her suitcase.

"There is a small shopping center twelve miles away. I'd really like a day away from this place. Tonight it will be back to business as usual, but right now I want out," Hermione said sounding slightly on the verge of another break-down.

"Am I invited," Fred asked and Hermione turned to him with wide, surprised eyes.

"Oh, if you want," She said after a moment and she slung her purse over her shoulder and started towards the door without looking back at him to see whether he was coming or not. He quickly shucked his robes and threw them on the bed.

"I guess this shopping trip would be a good opportunity to get something to wear to the costume party," Fred said locking the door and amiably following Hermione into the lift.

"What costume party," Hermione asked suspiciously.

"The one two days from now. Come on, you didn't notice the sign on the itinerary board downstairs? It's a big to-do, Mrs. Henderson was discussing it with me at breakfast. Lots of hoity-toity people are going to be there," Fred said and Hermione gave a frustrated sigh.

"When am I going to be prepared? Everything that's happened these past two days has totally wrong-footed me," Hermione said sounding petulant.

"Well now you have some notice and you should be able to prepare."

Hermione and Fred had arrived at the bottom floor and they went out into the lobby and out the front door. Sunshine was blossoming in the surrounding green hills, and Hermione stopped for a moment to take a deep breath of fresh mountain air.

Fred waited for her to stop taking in the outdoors and then he lightly grabbed her arm.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

'Pop' and they were out of sight. Hermione knew where she was going and Fred did not, so he could only tag along for the ride. They arrived in a small meadow, beside a dense yet short hedge, over which they could see a small country road leading into a bustling town. They both cautiously looked around, hoping to avoid suspicious muggles. Luckily, the field they were in was deserted and the town beyond the hedge was busy, but not towards their end. Hermione checked to make sure her robes were in order and then set off along the hedge making Fred jog to keep up with her.

There was a break in the shrubbery twenty feet down the meadow and Hermione made for that. Moving quickly, she walked onto the side walk and nonchalantly changed her pace to a more normal speed. Fred caught up to her and looked around. He saw the muggle cars running by, lots of them and none magically englarged inside like the ones he was used to. He'd been to Muggle towns before, his father being particularly fascinated by them, but that had only been for very brief visits and they had never went out walked around like this.

Hermione was a pro though, she was muggleborn after all. She looked briefly at Fred's amused face and smiled.

"This will be your emersion into muggle culture. Next time we see your dad you can make his day and explain things," Hermione said and Fred nodded distractedly.

"I'm listening," He said when he looked at Hermione and she looked a little peturbed, "I am your grasshooper, mosh me as you will, wise one."

Hermione laughed and shook her long hair out behind her.

"Are you making fun of me, or do you really not know the proper line?"

"Both," Fred said grinning.

"It's a muggle movie line. It's grasshopper, and you say mold me," She corrected.

"Right, right. I knew that," Fred said carelessly.

They kept walking, up toward the center of town. The sidewalks became crowded and Hermione ended up grabbing the back of Fred's shirt and letting him guide her through. Being jostled didn't faze Fred, but Hermione was knocked about quite alot. Finally they emerged in the town square. There was a gated garden in the very center and shopped littered the nearby buildings.

Hermione smiled and pulled her purse closer to herself, self-consciously making sure it was still there.

"Where would you like to go first. Oh wait, don't tell me. A book store?"

"No, suprising as it is, I would like to go into a shoe store," Hermione said trying to keep a straight face.

"I'm shocked! How could you lead me on like this," Fred said dramatically and Hermione smacked his arm lightly, because some old women with light blue hair were staring.

"Muggles or not, you are a very strange person," Hermione said as soon as they were out of earshot.

"I know, but that's what draws everyone to my magical side. I'm fun!"

"Can you blend in when we go into the shop," Hermione pleaded.

"Yes, yes. I'll be the picture of a normal muggle brother out shoe shopping with his sister," Fred said innocently and Hermione pulled a face at his words. That wasn't normal at all. No brother she knew went shopping with their sisters.

Fred ignored her look and followed her into the shoe store. The lady behind the counter looked up immediately and nervously played with her name tag. She moved from behind the counter with a speed that suprised Hermione and was standing in front of them a falsley cheerful smile on her face, in a matter of seconds.

"Can I help you?"

"No, thank you. We're just looking," Hermione said in a sugary-sweet tone.

"We're having a sale today, buy one pair of shoes, get another pair free," The sales lady said and Hermione gave her a tight smile.

"Alright, thank you."

Once the woman had went back to the counter, Fred turned to Hermione with an amused look.

"Pushy aren't they?" He murmered.

"Only a little," Hermione said lightly, but she was staring at a spot over his shoulder. Her eyes lit up and she moved around him, walking with a glazed lookin her eye and her arms outstretched in front of her, to Fred she looked like someone possesed.

"These are so cute," Hermione exclaimed holding up a pair of navy stiletto's with small polka dots.

Fred rolled his eyes.

"I never took you for the type to have a fetish for shoes," Fred said eyeing Hermione.

She put the shoes down slowly, as though she really didn't want to let go of them and turned to look up at Fred.

"I've never told anyone," She said with deadly serious composure.

"Really," Fred said and Hermione giggled.

"Yes, my parents know, but Harry and Ron don't. I hope we can keep this between us," Hermione said converstionally as she spotted another pair of shoes that made her face brighten once again.

Fred shook his head and followed Hermione who was holding a pair of purple trainers in her hands as though they were made of precious gold. Fred looked around at the other shoes on display. Most of them were dull black or brown, but one pair of heels caught his eye. He picked up the lurid orange heels carefully and put them on the floor. Hermione was too enthralled in the shoes she wanted to notice what he was doing.

Fred kicked off his own worn trainers and pulled off his socks. Balancing carefully on one leg, he slipped his foot into the first heel. Quickly, the second one followed and Fred wobbled for a second, not used to walking on anything at this elevation. Taking mere baby steps, he walked a bit aways from Hermione and then turned.

"Are these my color?"

Hermione whipped around and stared at him, as he sashayed his way towards her for the full effect. The sales lady was over like a bullet. Smiling amusedly at Fred's antics, but she didn't say anything for fear of Hermione's reaction. Hermione sucked in a big breath and absolutely howled with laughter. Fred grinned mischieviously and tried to perform a routine he had seen once before, a boisterous little tap dance.

Hermione gasped and hiccuped, she couldn't control her laughter for anything. It was just too comical to see Fred in those awful heels.

The sales lady, interrupted Fred's spirited dance, "Do you want me to wrap those up," She asked hopefully.

Fred stopped in midstep and put his foot down rather hard, making him look like a petulant child.

"No, these really aren't that comfortable," Fred said shrugging and stepping out of the shoes.

"I'll just put these back on the shelf," The lady said taking the shoes and walking away from Fred with a frigid flair about her.

"She thinks you're a cross-dresser," Hermione pointed out as she grabbed a pair of crocheted flats and headed towards the counter.

Fred went and put his socks and shoes back on and joined Hermione at the door. She'd purchased her shoes and was looking quite cheerful.

"Where to next," Fred asked and Hermione smiled.

"A costume store."

They went outside and by now the wind had started to pick up and there wasn't as many people on the streets. They walked down the sidewalk for a bit, until Hermione spotted a blue koisk. She hurried towards it, forcing Fred to follow through a gaggle of short older women. They all looked up at Fred as though he were an imposing giant and scurried away down the street.

Hermione opened the door and stepped inside the large blue box. Grabbing Fred's arm, she dragged him in alongside her. He shut the door and turned to watch Hermione going through a relatively large book, with lots of yellow pages. She skimmed the contents, and then her finger landed on a certain spot and she stopped and read that part thouroughly.

"There's a costumer shop on Wiltshire Street, that's only a block away from this one," Hermione said flipping to the map in the front.

"Okay," Fred said realizing for the first time how close together they were.

Hermione was pressed against his front, her hand particularily close to his leg. She turned and look up at him, questioningly.

"Since when did you get so tall," Hermione said suddenly. Her stomach had dropped like she was on a rollercoaster, and she didn't like it one bit. She couldn't remember him being this tall when she was younger, but that comment wasn't very important. She just felt like she had to say something, _anything_, so he'd stop looking at her that way.

"You just never noticed," Fred said shrugging, but his gaze was intense as he stared at Hermione's face.

Hermione allowed a soft smile and then reached around Fred to open the door. Using her body, she backed him out into the street. Fred's nerve ends were on fire. He'd never felt so on edge before. Hermione didn't give him much of a look, before she started walking down the street in the direction of the costume shop.

They were both silent as they walked to to the costume shop, both so deep in their thoughts that they didn't give a thought to conversation. Besides, Hermione didn't know what to say, and what Fred wanted to say would only come out awkwardly.

When they arrived at the costume shop, Hermione looked up at the ragedy old sign proclaiming, _'Carlyn Suanders, Costumer, Since 1800', _with trepidation. The building was rather shabby and the costumes displayed in the dirty windows, were old and disheveled looking. Sighing, she went in through the door that Fred had kindly opened for her.

The inside was different than Hermione had expected, especially after seeing the outside. Costumes were hung on neatly organzied racks and in fact this looked much like a dozen department stores that Hermione had been in before. She went over to a rack and pulled out a clever looking Wizard's cape and hat. If she smiled to herself, at the naivety of the muggles.

Fred was busy looking at a Storm Trooper helmet, which seemed to have fascinated him. Hermione game to his side just as he picked up a white gun and was pretending to shoot the ape suit that was hanging a few feet away. Taking the helmet off, Fred grinned her at, his hair now sticking up at strange angles. Hermione stood on her tip-toes and tried to smooth it down.

"What do you have in mind," He asked her as she rocked back on her heels.

"I'm not sure yet. I was thinking maybe a peacock," Hermione said gesturing to a very colorful dress that hung on display near the register.

"Good idea. I was thinking maybe a tiger," Fred said pointing to a tiger suit near his elbow.

"Orange, how appropriate," Hermione said shaking her head as she walked off to go ask the sales person to get the dress down for her.

Hurrying into the dressing room, Hermione stroked the real feathers sewn onto the dress. It was beautiful and just like Hermione, it didn't show off too much cleavage and wasn't too sexy, but it did make her feel good. She slipped it over her head and admired herself in the mirror. From the moment she'd laid eyes on it she knew this was the dress she was going to buy.

Fred on the other hand, wasn't very satisfied with his choice. The tiger outfit had seemed good at the time, but now that he had it on, he realized it was itchy and dreadfully hot. Quickly throwing it off, he went back out into the store and wandered around the racks. Nothing caught his eye for the longest time and he felt like giving up, when he came across a dandy's costume from the 1800's.

It was marron and had a black ruffled cravat, but Fred took it with him anyways.

It fit nicely and was tight in places that Fred wasn't sure he was comfortable with, but he relented. He did look good after all. Carefully he put the suit back on the hanger and exited the dressing room. Hermione was already standing by the counter, her arm being weighed down by a huge shopping bag.

Fred put his outfit on the counter and pulled out his coin purse, he looked at in horror all of a sudden. He didn't have any muggle money! He looked wide-eyed at his suit and then at the clerk who was staring morosely at him. Hermione knew what was wrong and so she laughed and tossed a few bills at the clerk. He looked relieved and got Fred his change which he quickly handed to Hermione.

"I'm sorry, I forgot I didn't have money," Fred said and Hermione shrugged carelessly.

"I had your mother send us along some muggle money. It's really money from the Order's vault," Hermione said.

"Thank you," Fred said and Hermione just smiled a secret smile.

Their shopping done, they headed back to the empty meadow and apparated to the Inn.

A/N: You all are too good to me. Keep up the reviews!

**Two Bit's Twobit: **Yep, had to think of something to stop Mrs. Henderson from thinking of her as complete slime. He might, just a little.

**cantateddomino**: Oh yes, I can't spell it correctly either, so I didn't even try. Thank you! Oh of course I could! Yay, I love this kind of thing. And I bet it's not crap at all.

**tiger-lily9240**: Haha, no go ahead and insult her all you want, but yep she's starting to not feel like wringing Hermione's neck.

**Fk306 animelover**: Yes, she's very talented that way.

**Close2miiheart**: Oh will they ever. Haha!

**Moony's-Wolf**:Yeah I'm excited to be writing that too. Your comment had me wondering if I had mentioned that Fred's hair was indeed brown again, so I went back and read what I had written and sure enough, it does say that he changed his hair back. That would been a disaster, if I'd forgotten it though, something like Hair-Gate.

**RonGranger**: Haha of course! Personally, I think Fred would make an awfully good pillow ;)

**Moony4Moony**: I never set out to make Mrs. Henderson likeable and since you hate her with a passion I feel like I've done my job.

**bri007**:What is your ship of choice then? Me either, that's why this is my first ever Hermione/Fred story that I've written, but I must say I like how it is going.

**RedXTears**: The funny thing is that blue isn't my favorite color, green is. I did use blue alot in that chapter. I think Fred has quite a few blue robes and they would look dashing on him. I'm not actually sure what color his eyes are, but blue seems good to me. By the way, if you hadn't noticed, blue-eyed guys make me weak in the knees.

**Sarah**: Heck yes it was. Thank you, thank you. There are a couple really good Fred/Hermione stories that inspired me.. my favorite is The New Mrs. Weasley, that's a good story to go read. Thank you again, it really just wrote itself, I didn't plan it or anything, it just came out that way. Guess it works.

**scucci45**: Thank you very much, you are very complimentary. Haha, yeah I don't like when thery flip out about sleeping in the same bed either. My thought was that Fred is such a funny person, he'd make you feel comfortable and take your mind off something, even if it bothered you. That's the story behind that.

**Fiestykitty**: Sorry for being such an evil person. School started so updates might be a little few and far in between during the week, but weekends I will try my hardest to put a chapter up.

**dolface546**: Haha thanks, I liked it too, but was a little worried it was too provactive... then I thought... to hell with it.. it's my story. Hermione can say what ever I please.

**kez192: **You asked a lot of burning questions. Now I have one of my own, are you from the U.K.? Alright now that that is out of the way, I can answer your questions. No, Angelina and Fred are close and once went out, or at least in this story they did. That's why he feels it would have been easy to play a married couple. This actually picks up where HBP leaves off, I made it unspecific... for good reason... who knows what's going to happen in book 7. I love Chicago too, very entertaining.


	6. Finally Across The Bridge

_Chapter Six_

**F**inally_ A_cross_ T_he**B**ridge

Hermione strung a string of pearls around her neck and tried not to look over at Fred. They were both in the bathroom, using the mirror at the same time. She was dressed in a nice slinky black dress and dark blue robes, while he was currently brushing his teeth; shirtless. Hermione had seen Ron in this state before and wondered about the difference between the two brothers.

One quick peek out of the corner of her eye, showed Hermione Fred's tanned and freckle dusted skin which made her blush and try not to think of naughty thoughts. She really would like to play connect the dots with him one day. 'Snap out of it,' She angrily berated herself.

Fred was unfazed and instead brushed his hair and then finally put his shirt on. It was a cream colored button up, and his robes were dark chocolate. They went well with his new hair color, but Hermione still longed for the old Fred Weasley. The one, she now realized, that she hadn't known all that well. Thank heavens, she knew him now. She smiled to herself and checked her reflection.

Her hair was in a pristine bun, slightly low on the nape of her neck. Her make-up was simple, and only used to highlight her features instead of drowned them. She'd carefully selected her jewelry. A pearl necklace her mother had given her, a silver watch and also large chandelier earrings, where her adornments. Fred ruffled his hair in an attractive way and set down the brush.

Hermione subconsciously looked over at him and their eyes locked in the mirror. Hermione gave him a weak smile and hurriedly went into the main room. Fred shook his head, confused by Hermione's behavior and followed her, making sure to turn off the bathroom light.

The day before had been strange for both of them, and now they were back to the old routine, of Fred making a witty comment and Hermione holding her side and glaring through tears at him, because it always ended up making her side pinch painfully. Now they were getting ready for dinner. Nothing was out of the ordinary, but Hermione felt oddly closer to Fred as they lounged in the hotel room waiting for six o'clock to roll around.

She'd never felt quite the same connection to anyone else, she didn't feel embarrassed like she had around, his brother, Ron, or foreign like she had around Victor Krum. She felt comfortable, like he would never judge her. Fred was hanging haphazardly off the bed, his face a merry color from the blood rushing to his head, but he stayed that way for a few more moments. Hermione on the other hand was sitting primly on the other side of the bed, her hands folded in her lap properly.

Fred pulled himself up and looked at Hermione she was sitting ram-rod straight, but she was smiling slightly as she read through a newspaper that had been delivered earlier. Fred crawled along the length of the bed to rest himself behind Hermione, his head resting on her shoulder, he read the paper along with her.

"Still no capture of Malfoy or Snape," Fred said grimly and Hermione shrugged, moving his chin up and down.

"Snape will get his and Malfoy is only a silly little boy who flounders in the real world. I'm sure that they are on the run not only from the Ministry, but also from the Death Eaters. They may have succeeded in killing Dumbledore, but they botched it right up," Hermione said levelly and Fred's eyebrows shot up, although she couldn't see it.

"You have a very odd view point," Fred said and he moved away from Hermione.

She looked like she had been hit in the stomach when she turned to look at him.

"You think I'm stupid?"

"No! I think you're very rational," Fred said sliding off the bed, but Hermione still felt put out even with his reassurance that he didn't find her moronic.

"What do you think then?"

"The same as you, I'm not quite the dashing hero type, not like Harry," Fred said and Hermione smiled.

"Well that's alright with me. There's already a Harry in my life and thank goodness there is not another," Hermione said getting off the bed as well, because she'd seen the bedside clock and it was now time for them to head down to dinner.

"Harry's a good kid."

Hermione let his statement hang in the air. She had nothing to say to that, it was true. In silence, they went out into the hall and got into the lift.

Hermione awkwardly cleared her throat and played with the pearls around her neck. Fred wasn't about to feel uncomfortable, so he grinned when he saw Hermione fidgeting and grabbed her arm. She jumped slightly at the contact and look up at him.

"Mud bars!"

She got a little cross-eyed at his ridiculous statement, and especially because he was laughing so hysterically about it.

"What in the world is wrong with you?"

Fred couldn't stop laughing though, he gasped and held onto his gut, but the peals just kept coming.

"I see kissing up to Mrs. Henderson has left you deranged," Hermione sniffed, but couldn't help cracking a smile.

"No, no. George sent me an owl earlier. He's come up with this idea for mud bars... of course made out of mud, but they look like chocolate... so your enemy takes a bite and let's just say he get's more vitamins then he's ever going to use," Fred gasped and Hermione looked amused.

"I'd love to shove something like that in Malfoy's face," She said smirking in an eery imitation of the boy in question.

"That boy deserves to be stranded on a remote island, his only company a huge infestation of mosquitoes," Fred said in a funny travel guide sort of way. "Then when he tries to swim off the island there are sharks out in the water, loads of them! Maybe he'd lose an arm, or some other more important body part, although it might be hard to find."

Hermione laughed and it was at that moment that the lift's door slid open revealing the gilded lobby.

"Ah Mrs. Henderson, may I escort you into the dinning room?"

"Why yes, Arnold. That would be lovely," Mrs. Henderson said smiling in a distracted way.

Hermione smiled as best she could and started to follow Fred and Mrs. Henderson.

"Rachel, there you are," Fred said turning around and grabbing Hermione's arm and pulling her along, so she wouldn't feel left out.

They walked into the dinning room and just were about to approach the table, when they were stopped by a middle aged gentleman, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Mrs. Henderson, I just got WG today and I wanted to discuss with you the article they printed on Hybrid Worm-Weed. I happen to have a patch in my very own garden and I noticed you had a small bit cultivated out back," The man said and Mrs. Henderson looked at him with disdain.

She looked at Fred longingly, as though he could save her from the boring conversation she was sure to be dragged in.

"Yes, Mr. Hubert, that sounds wonderful," Mrs. Henderson said through tight lips and she let the man lead her to the table where he sat eagerly at her elbow, chatting loudly even though his hostess was stony faced.

"I suppose that means we can sit where we like," Hermione said and Fred nodded distractedly.

"I was just warming up to asking her about Lucius too," Fred said sounding disappointed as he pulled out Hermione's chair for her.

"Yes, well you have asked to be her escort to the ball, right," Hermione questioned and Fred nodded.

"Then don't worry about it," She said primly placing her napkin on her lap.

Fred smiled charmingly and put his own napkin in his lap, but not with as much grace as Hermione had. Leaning over so his mouth was next to her ear he whispered softly to her.

"I guess it's just us tonight."

Hermione blushed and looked at the tablecloth in front of her. The way he'd said it was so seductive, she hadn't expected anything like that from him.

"So how does it feel to be on an adventure without your two best friends?"

"It's very different, I don't have to bail their behinds out of any trouble," Hermione said lightly and Fred laughed.

"Well you were always the brains and magical ability behind you three, right? If it would have been just Harry and Ron they would have been dead in five seconds, most likely," Fred said.

Hermione shrugged. When she was younger she had entertained the same thoughts, but now she didn't begrudge her friends their idiocy.

"I'm sorry if we ever seemed to trample over you in school. I think we might of said a few unkind things, but we never meant harm," Fred said and Hermione shook her head.

"You don't have to apologize. I was never that put out with you," Hermione explained, "You were always there to relieve the tension, I got a laugh out of your pranks, even if I pretended to be sour."

Fred grinned in a self-satisfied manner. Leaning back in his chair he crossed his arms over his chest and licked his lips.

"Well I always knew you had the hots for me," He said jokingly and Hermione turned bright red and let out an indignant huff.

"Right," She finally said with a hard sarcastic voice.

"I'm only joking, no need to break out the hexes," Fred placated.

Hermione started laughing.

"You reminded me of Malfoy for a moment there," Hermione said and Fred looked startled and then angry.

"He's told you that you fancy him?"

Hermione burst out laughing and several people at the table looked at her oddly.

"No, he's never said that I meant you sounded like that arrogant prick," Hermione said and Fred noticeably relaxed.

"Thanks for the compliment, doll."

They both laughed and when they were finished with that their food was being served. Dinner was a quieter affair, with Hermione and Fred too busy entertaining their mouths to talk. Once or twice Hermione caught him staring at her, and every time it took him a moment to notice she'd caught him.

He was totally unembarrassed though and only went back to eating as though nothing had happened. When dinner was over, Hermione got up from her chair and threw her napkin on top of her plate. She smiled at Mrs. Henderson, who's mouth was set in a grim line as the same old man was still chattering enthusiastically at her elbow.

Fred led Hermione out of the room, his fingers felt like fire on her arm, but she tried to concentrate on just walking in a straight line.

Once they were alone in the elevator Fred threw caution to the wind and bent down to kiss Hermione softly on her cherry red lips.

She smiled, pleasantly surprised with this sudden move.

Even with such a sweet gesture there was a moment of silence in which Fred berated himself for being so bold and Hermione's thoughts flew out of her mind and all she felt was pure bliss.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I pulled a prank on Ron?" Fred asked chuckling nervously.

Hermione only murmured that she hadn't. She wasn't really listening. She let Fred ramble on for a bit as she thought of what her next move should be.

"And then when he wasn't looking, I stole his toothbrush and swabbed the shower drain with it, he didn't notice the brown gunk hanging off it and popped it right into his mouth, it was the grossest thing I've ever seen," Fred rambled turning bright red with embarrassment.

"You talk too much," Hermione said smiling coyly and stepping up onto her tip-toes she grabbed Fred's head and kissed him with all her might.

A/N: I am so sorry it took me such a LONG time to get this chapter up, I actually have quite a bit of the next chapter written, just because I could see it so clearly in my mind. But that's no excuse and now here it is. Hopefully you'll be happy because this is the chapter everyone's been waiting for. Thank you to everyone who reviewed... it'd take too much to directly answer all the questions I got and comments right now.


	7. A Snag In The Plan

_Chapter Seven_

**A** _S_nag **I**_n_ _T_he **P**_lan_

After their earlier kisses, it might have been awkward for Fred and Hermione to share the same bed that night, and it was, at first. Hermione slid under the sheets and lay on her back, stiffly listening as Fred took a sip of water and crawled in next to her. There was a large gap between them and Hermione lay wide awake, wondering what she should do, if she should do anything at all.

She was on edge and was just about to roll over and try to forget everything, when she felt warm fingers softly tickle her arm.

"You still awake," Fred asked and Hermione let out a whooshing sigh and nodded. It was a moment before she realized he couldn't have seen it.

"Yes."

"I don't want things to be different between us, Hermione. I don't know how things could be, we weren't exactly close friends before, so there isn't that obstacle," Fred said and Hermione smiled in the dark, rolling onto her side, she propped her head on her elbow and looked at him.

She could see him well enough, with the lights out and he looked entirely serious.

"Fred, don't worry about it," Hermione assured him.

"Okay. Goodnight, Hermione," Fred said and she rolled back onto her back, expecting that to be the end of it.

But it wasn't. Fred scooted closer and put his arm across her stomach, pulling her closer to himself. He snuggled up to her and apparently content, began to breath evenly. Hermione relaxed, finally feeling sleepy.

The next evening was the night that had Hermione's stomach all tied in knots. She was locked in the bathroom, powdering her nose and trying to calm down. She'd hardly seen Fred all day, he'd been in and out of their room, only saying a few words to her. It made her feel lonely, because all she had to do was get ready for the ball. She sighed and put the powder puff away. All her skin was a pale shimmer of silver. It made her look magical and it went well with her lovely dress.

Of course she wasn't wearing that yet, because she didn't want to get anything on it. Instead, she sat on a stool, wearing a pretty pink slip dress she'd been given by Ginny. Slowly she stood up and carefully pulled the shopping bag off the counter where she'd set it. Gently she pulled the dress out and held it out in front of herself, admiring once again, the beautiful colors.

The dress was floor length and the skirt was layers and layers of peacock feathers. The top was sparkling with tiny gem stones sewn along the neck line. She sighed contentedly and took it off the hanger. Slowly she pulled it over her head and settled it on her shoulders, letting the skirt hit the floor.

She smiled at her reflection and walked out of the bathroom, her shoulders thrown back and her back ramrod straight. She glided into the bedroom and found Fred sitting on the bed. She walked over and twirled in her dress in front of him.

Fred laughed and whistled softly.

"Too bad you're my sister," He joked grabbing her hand and dragging her towards him so he could give her a quick hug.

"Only for pretend," Hermione retorted kissing him on the cheek and strutting away to look in her suitcase. She dug inside and triumphantly came up with a pair of black stilettoes. She slipped them onto her feet and, now standing four inches taller, looked at Fred imploringly.

"Aren't you going to get dressed?"

"Of course," Fred said airily and he stood up and went to retrieve his costume from his things. Throwing a casual grin at Hermione he went into the bathroom and closed the door.

She sat on the bed, being careful to tuck her dress neatly around herself. She hadn't really seen Fred in his costume and she was curious as to how he would look.

Dashing was apparently the word, when he exited the bathroom wearing his finery. Hermione looked him over, and blushing, looked at the floor because she felt she couldn't meet his eyes.

"That bad, huh. Well I thought it looked good," Fred said shrugging and Hermione looked up at him. Even though he looked sincere, he had the usual wicked twinkle in his eye.

"Fred, you know you look good," Hermione began and Fred interrupted her by laughing loudly.

"Don't inflate me ego any further, darling."

Dinner that night was a bit different than it had been in the past. The few long tables in the dining room had been replaced by small round tables scattered around the room. Dark black veils hung from each light fixture, making the room much darker. Hermione and Fred made their way to a table of their own and were joined by a young couple they'd never met before. The other couple seemed so wrapped up in themselves, Hermione and Fred had only each other to talk to.

"It's rather hard to eat our food in this lighting," Hermione said looking at her salad with disdain.

"Just a little bit," Fred said as he tried to spear a piece of pork once again.

"I wonder what the special entertainment is for party," Hermione murmured.

"Mrs. Henderson says she hired the FMA to play," Fred said between bites.

"She what," Hermione asked suddenly interested and Fred looked at her oddly.

"You know the wizarding band, FMA, they're playing," Fred said and Hermione dropped her fork on her plate.

"Oh my gosh! I love them," Hermione exclaimed and Fred raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Ginny's influence," Hermione explained.

"I thought so."

"Oh I wish she was here. She'd love it," Hermione lamented and Fred shook his head.

"This is one of those times I notice the difference between you and other girls. If you were, say Katie Bell, she'd be saying 'Ginny is going to be so jealous when I tell her'. Which isn't very nice if you ask me," Fred said and Hermione blushed, feeling deeply complimented.

"Thank you," She said and Fred nodded as he pick at the food on his plate with his fork, trying to get something speared on the tines.

Finally he set his fork down and pushed his plate away. Hermione realized she was done with her own food and they looked at each other for a second, neither know what to say.

"If you are all done eating, we will exit the dining room so that the help can move the tables and set up the stage," Mrs. Henderson's commanding voice floated to them from somewhere near the door.

Everyone was milling around the lobby as Fred and Hermione made it into the hall. Hermione waited patiently in the hall as Fred had went to the bathroom. She missed his company terribly. She stood admiring a painting that hung on the wall across from the dining room doors, trying not to feel awkward.

"Granger?"

Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin at that familiar address and even more familiar feeling of dread. She may have been wearing a costume, but for all the good it did her, she might as well have been naked. He saw right through her, and what was worse, he could blow her entire cover.

"Malfoy, how wonderful to be seeing you," Hermione said, biting back the bitter retort she'd of loved to throw at him. She turned around to look steadily at the handsome blonde boy before her.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

"I happen to be enjoying a vacation, if you do not mind," Hermione said trying to be as rational as possible, when her only thoughts were of throttling him.

"Nice dress," He said snootily, managing to turn a compliment into a snub.

"Aren't you late for a Death Eater's meeting, or have they kicked you out on your over-pampered rear?"

"Very funny, you know I'd be killed if I set foot at one of those events," Draco said snidely and Hermione had the grace to look embarrassed.

She hadn't known. It was at that moment that her curious side kicked in.

"What have you been up to since, well since I saw you last?"

"How is that any of your business, Granger," Draco said scathingly, but it didn't miss her attention that he hadn't called her Mudblood.

"I just... look.. Malfoy. Can you please refrain from acknowledging you know me. I know you hate me, so can we act as if the other doesn't exist?"

"Fine," Malfoy said and he sauntered off, leaving Hermione with shaky knees and sweating palms.

No, it wasn't because he was good-looking, she was genuinely afraid he was going to expose who she really was to Mrs. Henderson.

Just as Hermione felt her breathing returning to normal, Fred came out of the loo looking cheerful.

"Hello, darling," He said and then he stopped and his face lost a lot of it's chipper quality, "Are you okay, Hermione? You're looking a little pale."

"Malfoy is here," Hermione said flatly and Fred's eyes widened.

"The little ferret or the big snake?"

"The ferret," Hermione said disgustedly.

"Do you think he'll say something?"

"No, he's a lowly scumbag and I know he'd like nothing better than to see me roasted slowly on a stake, but, oh what am I saying, I have no idea what he's going to do, but if he says anything I have no problem cursing him," Hermione said laughing nervously.

"I'll tear the little bastard limb from limb," Fred growled and Hermione nodded agreeably.

"The dance is starting," Some young girl shrieked, running past them and into the transformed dinning room.

Soft music began to float from the room.

"We better go in," Fred said although he was watching Hermione carefully because she still looked a little fuzzy.

"Okay," She said and he took grabbed her hand for a moment, and her heart leapt suddenly.

"Cheer up buttercup, we can outwit him."


	8. The Worst Reunion

_Chapter Eight_

**T**_he_ _W_orst **R**_eunion_

"Look at that peacock, strutting about. Doesn't he know there is a man hunt going on for him and where's Snape," Fred said incrediously. He and Hermione were standing by the punch bowl, both watching the rich pureblood banter with the guests at the party in what seemed like forced merriment.

"His ego is larger than his brain," Hermione told him knowingly, "As for Snape, I haven't an idea."

"He's going to get himself caught," Fred said with maliscious glee.

"It would be better if he led us to Snape and Lucius first," Hermione replied.

"I better go smooze Mrs. Henderson," Fred said with trepidation and he gave Hermione a soft smile.

"Don't get into trouble," He said and she feigned innocence.

"Me?"

He laughed and tweeked her nose before departing.

As Hermione watched Fred make his way through the crowd, she began to feel awkward. She'd never been a social butterfly, but she usually didn't care or notice until she was in a situation like the one she found herself in. She poured herself a glass of punch and sipped it as her eyes travelled the room before settling on the blonde man who was surrounded by a group of wizards. She quickly came to the conclusion that Draco was important to their mission, she had to figure out how to use him to their advantage.

For the rest of the evening, Hermione kept her eye on Draco and as she observed him she began to feel almost sorry for him. He obviously had something the matter with him. He talked loud and boisterously, and kept having the servers bring him drinks. Here was someone who had given up on everything, because he was being so careless.

The band was starting into their third song and Draco was already on his eighth alcoholic beverage of the evening, when Fred made his way back over to Hermione.

"Having fun," He quipped, when he noticed the nearly blank concentrated look on her face.

She started and looked up at him hazily, "Shhh, he's speaking to that gentleman about his family," She said before her eyes snapped back to the silvery haired boy who'd just said, "What a woman my mum is," in a drunken roar. Fred was taken aback by Hermione's intense scrutiny of Malfoy, as well as Malfoy's lack of control.

"He's really putting it on," He said and Hermione nodded mutely.

"Well, I guess I'll meet you in our room after the party," Fred said and Hermione nodded again, still not speaking. Fred shook his head to himself and left.

Hermione waited like a hawk, watching as Draco consumed more alcohol than she thought was humanly possible, and tried to carry on a decent conversation with anyone that came within his radius. Finally when Draco was having problems standing Hermione made her move.

"Draco, let me take you to your room," Hermione butted in suddenly, taking Draco's arm and trying to drag him away.

"Granger," Draco slurred pleasantly and he surprisingly let her lead him off towards the lifts.

Draco didn't say much as Hermione shoved him into the hall and pushed the up button.

"What floor are you on?" Hermione asked and Draco handed her his key without saying anything, he seemed to be concentrating bleerily on his shoes.

The doors slid open and Hermione drug Draco into the lift and pushed the four. As they began to move up Hermione noticed that Draco was looking decidedly green.

"Are you ok, Malfoy?" She had barely asked, when he leaned over and vomited all over the floor and his shiny black shoes.

Sighing, Hermione pulled her wand from her dress and cleaned up the mess quickly.

"You really shouldn't drink like that," She told him and he raised his head to glare at her, just as the lift came to a stop and the doors opened.

"You really should learn to keep your nose out of other people's business," He said in a shrill voice that reminded her of when he was a snotty little boy, which made her chuckle.

"But then I would miss out on this beautiful break-down of yours. Besides, if I'd have left you with those wonderful people you had surrounded yourself with, you'd have spilled more of your guts and made more of an idiot of yourself than you already have."

"Wouldn't matter much," Draco muttered as he staggered past her and into the hall.

Hermione followed after him, caught between wanting to chide him, and wanting to laugh at his sorry self.

Arriving at his door, Draco leaned against the wall, breathing heavier than was required, as Hermione swiped the key and opened the door.

"After you," Hermione said holding the door open and trying to support Draco by grasping his arm.

"You were always after me," Draco said haughtily as he yanked his arm from her grasp and stumbled into the room under his own power.

He didn't sit on the bed, as Hermione thought he would, he leaned against the wall and let himself slide down to the floor instead. She sighed and shut his door following him into the dimly lit room.

"I've done some terrible things, Granger. Things that would make you sick to your stomach," Draco told her sounding almost sober, except when he hiccuped at the end.

"Why?" Hermione asked as Draco burried his head in his hands.

She leaned over, her long brown hair brushing his fore arms. He wouldn't look at her, even with her hovering over him.

"I didn't have a choice."

Hermione broke into deversive laughter and shook her head at the pathetic boy in front of her. She straightened and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Everyone always has a choice, Malfoy," She said bitingly and she saw a shiver pass through him.

He finally looked up at her, his eyes red from unshed tears and liquor. She wouldn't have recognized him as the boy she'd hated for so many years.

"What would you have me do, Granger? Sell out. My mother would have been killed the instant I said a word," Draco said and Hermione was taken aback.

"Dumbledore would have helped," She said quitely, once more taking a seat on the hotel chair.

"It was too late," Draco said and then he sneered at her, "What's done is done."

"For once you're right. I see you're coping well," Hermione said mockingly.

"Get out."

"As much as I'd love to leave you to self-detruct, I can't," Hermione said and he fixed her with his bloodshot eyes.

"Your foolish compassion."

"Perhaps," Hermione said and she got up and slid down the wall to sit beside him. "Do you know where your father is, Draco?"

"Funny, I thought this was all about me," Draco said bitterly and she silenced him with a serious look, "Why would that interest you?"

She wouldn't answer him, she kept her chin tilted up and she was staring at the wall across from her. Draco studied her face, since she wouldn't look at him.

"You're working for the Ministry!" Draco said with almost a kind laugh and he bumped his shoulder into Hermione's to make her pay attention to him. Her head whipped towards him and surprisingly her lip curled.

"No."

"I figured you'd be in the thick of that group. So, not the Ministry. Personal interest? No, you're not the vengeful type. Somehow I feel you're working for someone and it's got to do with Saint Potter," Draco spit out Harry's name with vile intent.

Hermione didn't accept or deny his claim, she just sat there quietly studying him through her long lashes.

"He's obviously hidden well," Draco said at last and Hermione looked puzzled.

"What? You don't know where he is?"

"I don't know the exact location. I'm not his keeper. But I know who is," Draco said he was talking softly, so Hermione had to lean a bit closer to hear him.

She waited for him to say something else, but he just stared at her blankly.Hermione sighed and leaned her head back against the wall. She tapped her foot rhythmically, which would have annoyed Malfoy, but the sound was muffled by the carpet.

"Mrs. Henderson?" Hermione guessed after a moment her leg stopping in mid-tap.

Draco smirked at nothing particular and she could see it out of the corner of her eye.

"What do you find so amusing," She questioned indignately.

"You've always been so clever," Draco said and shook his head.

"Thank you."

She rose suddenly, using the wall to get to her feet. She thought about putting a hand out for the boy on the floor, he was after all looking at her, but she thought better of it. He was still intoxicated, because he was giving her the goofiest smile she'd ever seen anyone wear, and it was especially out of place on his normally cold features.

"I know you're drunk, but this is the nicest conversation we've ever had," She said,"Maybe you should try being less of a prick, it works wonders for your personality."

With her clever closing line delivered, Hermione turned and fled the hotel room. For a moment she had felt very sorry for Draco. He was, after all, a human being. Now that she was out of that room, her feelings of dislike didn't return like she thought would, but it didn't matter. She was on a mission and now it had some direction.

She walked to the lift and got in. As she rode it down, she once again tapped her foot, she didn't realize it, but it was to the beat of a song that Fred had been listening to earlier that day. He'd brought a portable WWR (Wizarding Wireless Radio) and had been playing it rather loudly. He'd lit up like a Christmas tree when a certain song had come on. Hermione couldn't rememeber who it was by, or what it was called, but the beat was stuck in her mind.

She shook her head as the lift doors opened on her floor. She dug in the front of her dress, where she'd stashed several items, and pulled out her room key, waving it over the door, she turned the handle and went in. The lights were off and she realized just how long she'd been off with Draco. She saw the alarm clock display reading one twenty-one in the morning.

She slipped out of her shoes as quietly as possible and walked further into the room. Her feet were killing her and she walked gingerly towards the bed where she could Fred sleeping. Hermione smirked in the dark, and ran towards the bed. With a leap she landed atop Fred's legs and he bolted upright nearly knocking her onto the floor.

"H..huh?" He wuffled, tiredly.

"Fred, Fred!" Hermione said as she slid to the side of the bed, and off the Weasley's legs and started bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Hey, hey little sister. Isn't it past my bedtime?" Fred said jokingly sitting up fully and raising an eyebrow at Hermione.

"Sorry. I just got done interigating Malfoy. Besides finding out that he's one screwed up little boy, I found out that Lucius has a secret keeper," Hermione said, calmer than she had been before.

Fred smiled at the girl in front of him, she wasn't the complete failure she kept saying she was.

"Let me guess. Our dear Mrs. Henderson," He said he leaned forward and planted a kiss on Hermione's nose and she laughed.

"Exactly!" She was still dressed in her costume and she got up to go change.

"Did anyone tell you how beautiful you looked tonight," Fred asked a Hermione dug in her bag and she stopped and turned, her face flushing bright red.

"No," She said skeptically.

"Good, because I want to be the only one who does," Fred said and he smiled at her. She couldn't help the smile that plastered her face as she headed into the bathroom, her pajamas clutched to her chest.

Hermione had been rocking back and forth on her heels waiting for Fred to make his appearance in the lobby. He'd been summoned to Mrs. Henderson's office early that morning about something that seemed urgent enough for there to be a summons in the first place. Whatever it was Hermione was annoyed that it was taking so long for him to meet her.

That's how Draco found her, staring at a picture on the wall and angrily grinding her teeth.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to clutter the halls with your disgusting appearance?"

"Yes. By the same person who is wasting the air they breath right at this moment," Hermione said not in the mood to deal with Draco, but she turned to face him anyway.

She was prepared to fight, he saw it immediately, but forged ahead because he'd never backed down before.

"You didn't think I'd remember our conversation last night. Did you?" Draco asked, his face was blank and his eyes cold.

Hermione watched him wearily, remembering not for the first time, just how tall and muscular Malfoy had become.

"I may have hoped," Hermione admitted and Draco sneered at her.

"I can hold my liquor better than you know," Draco said darkly.

Hermione didn't know what to say to that. She sat stood her arms crossed over her chest and stared Malfoy down, hoping he'd just leave.

"Look, Granger. I'm not talking to you to make you feel guilty, or to threaten you to keep silent about what I told you. The truth is talking to you helped me. I know you hate me, but you are the only person to ever sit and listen to me, even though I'm sure you wanted to curse me into oblivion for being involved in the plot to kill your precious Headmaster."

Hermione's eyebrows rose in question, she was taken aback and stayed silent as a thousand thoughts whirling in her mind.

"I'm grateful to you, don't you see? A mudblood! I should be ashamed, but strangely I'm not," Draco rambled angrily. He seemed to be trying to find something to blame Hermione for.

"Draco, be quiet. Why are you doing this? I'd rather not be dragged into your life," Hermione said in an agravated tone and he finally met her eyes. To be honest, Hermione had always thought his eyes were beautiful, not that she'd admit it. As she looked into them, she felt like she was caught in a storm. A storm of trouble, and doubt.

In the next moment, as if in a dream, Hermione saw Draco coming towards her. He stopped right in front of her, and seemed about to say something, but promptly shut his mouth again. Hermione found it ironic, this was the first time she'd seen him at a loss for words. Draco grasped Hermione's face in his hand and he saw her pupils dilate in undisguised worry, not fear, because she was confused by his actions. He dipped his head and brushed her lips with his own. Hermione involuntarily shut her eyes, when she opened them, Draco was gone.

"Good morning," Fred whispered into Hermione's ear has he caught up with her. He gave her hand a quick squeeze before moving off to speak with hold the dining room door open for Mrs. Henderson who was ushering along some other guests.

Surprisingly, Fred sat with Hermione at breakfast, but she was frustrated by the proximity of the other guests. She wanted to talk to Fred alone and tell him how annoyingly stupid Malfoy was, and how he'd forced his attentions onto her, but as long as they were with company she had to keep her lips sealed, even when Draco shot her a smoldering look from down the table that made her want to hurl sharp objects at his head.

"Mrs. Henderson has asked a favor of me," Fred said as he buttered a roll and Hermione nodded watching his actions. "She wants me to get rid of a boggart that got into a wardrobe on the fifth floor. She's bringing it down after lunch for me to work my magic."

"Should be simple enough," Hermione said now turning her attention to her own toast.

"It would be, if I didn't know what I'm afraid of and I know those fears would be a bad thing for Mrs. Henderson to see," Fred said and Hermione understood.

"You want me to do it?" She asked flatly and Fred looked sheepish.

"I was hoping you would."

"Then I will," Hermione said all business-like. Fred knew, somehow instinctively that she was secretly delighted that she was going to be using magic. He saw it in the way her small hands twitched on the table, as if they held a wand.

When they were back in there room, Hermione finally had the chance she had been waiting for to reveal to Fred just what had transpired before he'd shown up. Hermione felt terribley guilty, even though she'd had no control over Draco's actions, she had known that something bad was going to happen. He was Malfoy after all. Him kissing her wasn't something she'd forseen though.

"Fred, Draco kissed me," Hermione said.

Fred turned a funny maroon color and he whipped around to face Hermione. She winced, ready for the famous Weasley temper.

"That little _brat_," Fred said and then he started laughing when he saw the disbelieving look on Hermione's face.

"Hermione, of course he likes you. I could see that even when we were in school, but I also know you. You where never that stupid," Fred told her and then he shook his head as if to clear his thoughts, "Unless of course you're fancying being the mother to a dozen little ferret babies."

"Not funny, Fred," Hermione said even though she betrayed her good mood by smiling anyway, "For a moment there I could only think of the reaction I would have gotten from Ron if I told him that."

"Bah! Ronniekins is about as thick as three two-by-fours nails together," Fred told her flippantly.

"Have you ever noticed how people who want to kiss you suddenly break out the gum?" Hermione asked, remembering how Draco had popped a piece into his mouth before he approached her.

"That may be true at first," Fred said and then he smirked, "So if I happen to put some gum in, you'll know what that'll mean, right?"

"You want a kiss?" Hermione asked her face splitting into a large smile despite herself.

"Yes, and the same will be true if I see you putting gum in. I'll just take it upon myself to grant your wish," Fred said laughingly.

Hermione had to laugh at his silliness, but she knew under the joking manner he was actually being serious.

"I'll be sure to watch out," She said as she opened the door and went out. Fred followed lazily.

They arrived at the dining room, and Fred opened the door for Hermione. She was surprised to find not only Mrs. Henderson, but also Draco and a few other hotel guests standing in a congregation slightly away from a large wardrobe that was shaking violently from side to side.

"Sorry about the extra witnesses. Some of them have never seen a boggart," Mrs. Henderson said in her usual hostess voice. Hermione had to give her credit, she was charming when she wanted to be. A trait, no doubt, adopted from the Malfoys.

"That's fine," Fred said easily flashing her an equally charming smile, although Hermione knew his to be genuine. He was easy-going after all and liked to be the center of attention at times.

"Rachel, we were going to move to this section of the room, to be out of the way," Mrs. Henderson said pinning Hermione with her eyes. Hermione flushed at being called out, and she looked down.

"Rachel is wicked with a wand. I'm nowhere near as good as she is," Fred said and Hermione knew at once that Mrs. Henderson had meant to test Fred by her reaction, because she grew figedty and tried to smile but failed.

"Very well," She consented at last with a small thwarted frown on her face.

Hermione ignored this and went to the wardrobe. She had her wand in her hand and she was took a deep cleansing breath, just as she'd learned to do in school. A clear mind was best for performing spells. She turned and saw the people still milling around.

"You might want to back up," She said confidently, and as soon as they had, she turned the knob and stepped back.

At first it was like smoke was issuing from the wardrobe, but then the smoke took a more definate shape and moved onto the floor. Hermione became aware at that moment that two people hadn't retreated to the back of the room. Fred was further back on her left and Malfoy, the complete idiot was nearly besides her on her right.

At first the boggart glided as a black shadow, and Hermione waited, heart in her stomach, as it came closer to Malfoy. Whatever he was afraid of, she could only imagine would be just as frightening to her.

The boggart gave a shudder and began to transform.


	9. You Get What You Bargain For

Chapter Nine

**You** _Get __What_ **You** Bargain _For_

It took a moment for the boggart to transform, but when it had Hermione was faced with what she least expected. Standing in front of Draco, wearing a Hogwart's school uniform and a scolding frown was Hermione Granger, in all her frizzy-haired glory.

Everyone was so shocked, that it took a moment before they all started to laugh. Hermione looked at Draco who was looking absolutely pink. She would have laughed, but she was too stunned.

The boggart was shuddering from the laughter of the people in the room, and as Hermione stepped forward, the boggart shifted its attention to her. Bodies began stacking up and rolling across each other as the boggart took on what she feared most; mass destruction of the world she loved.

"_Ridikulous_," She said still business like and the boggart shattered into a million pieces of light.

There was a silence in the room those first few seconds after Hermione banished the boggart, and it set the hairs on the back of her neck on end. Draco Malfoy was afraid of her.

"How long have you been harboring a fear of my sister," Fred asked guffawing at the young Malfoy's expense.

Draco looked like he wanted to cry, or crawl into a large hole. Hermione felt like smirking, blushing, or trying to defend Malfoy, but she did none of these things, and just stood there. Frozen by her confusion.

"She is awfully scary when she's angry," Fred said as if conceding that perhaps Draco was justified in his fear of Hermione.

Hermione turned on her heel and marched out of the room, suddenly not wanting to be anywhere near Draco. He was like a huge thorn in her side and if he was scared of her, good for him, he had every right to be, because if he ever touched her again she was going to hex off certain important bits of his anatomy.

As she waited for the lift, tiredly rubbing her neck, Fred showed up, still grinning.

"I never expected that," Fred said and he gave another burst of laughter and hugged Hermione.

"It's not that funny," Hermione said sulkily, pulling out of Fred's arms and glaring at the doors to the lift, williing them to open faster.

"My dear, let's look at this from a different perspective. Why is he afraid of you? Okay, you are talented with a wand, you're bloody clever and you hate him, but what made him fear you?"

Hermione actually listened to Fred and began to ponder his line of thinking. He had a very good point, and somehow she thought she had the answer. The lift doors opened and Hermione walked in, now thinking very hard. Fred followed her in and watched her intently, waiting for what was sure to be a brilliant answer to his questions.

"I don't think he's scared of me, persay. Now, given that vile ferret deems it wise to kiss me, I would have to say that I think he's afraid of what I represent. I'm everything he should hate and stay away from, but somehow I think that's why he's come onto me," Hermione said and she shrugged.

"We could always slip him a Canary Cream. He's be spitting feathers for at least a week," Fred said evilly and Hermione laughed.

"Always looking for an angle to introduce your products. Very sneaky," Hermione said shaking her head.

Later that afternoon Mrs. Henderson mysteriously invited Hermione into her office. At first Hermione thought it was because perhaps the older woman had finally, finally taken a liking to her, but as the interview (for that's what it felt like) went on she realized she was highly mistaken.

Mrs. Henderson hammered Hermione with questions about her childhood, about nearly all aspects of her life, as if she was being interrogated for some crime. It all made Hermione very uncomfortable.

Finally it seemed as if Mrs. Henderson got bored with her borish answers and she stood from her chair, signalling to Hermione that she could finally leave.

"Be sure to tell your brother I enjoyed his company this morning," Mrs. Henderson said and Hermione noticed she seemed to be saying it for the sake of making conversation instead of sincerely meaning it.

"I'll be sure to let Fred know," Hermione said dammingly.

Mrs. Henderson stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"Err I mean Robert," Hermione said quickly, but she knew the damage was done.

"You're not really who you say you are," Mrs. Henderson said, now sounding scarily enough like Lucius that Hermione shuddered and took a step back.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione said trying to act confused, but inside her heart was pounding like a caught bird's.

"I knew there was something suspicious about you. 'Arnold' isn't really your brother is he?" Mrs. Henderson asked

"I don't know what you're on about, but I'm not listening to another word of your accusations," Hermione said in her best bossy tone and she fled the hallway.

Once in the lift she cursed under her breath, she hadn't meant to blurt Fred's name, but she had forgotten herself for one fatal moment. She pushed the buttons hastily and the lift descended at an agonizingly slow pace. She ran a hand through her hair and moaned loudly. They were in a world of trouble now that she'd blown their cover, and she needed to tell Fred.

When she reached their floor she bolted out of the lift, nearly tripping over the threshold and hitting the wall across from the lift, before sprinting down the hall to their room. She had left Fred there, so she didn't have the key and now she pounded on the door and tried to catch her breath.

"FRED," She shouted three times, not caring about the other guests.

"Bullocks," She muttered and apparated into the room.

It was as if a tornado had ripped through the room while Hermione was gone, the bed was overturned and leaning against the far wall, and all of their stuff was strewn across the floor. Hermione knew what had happened, they had come and captured Fred and he had put up a rather good fight, but it hadn't been enough.

Hermione went about using a spell to put all her things into her bag. She packed Fred's things too, and then she shrunk their bags and stuffed them into her pocket. As she performed these rather normal functions, her mind was racing from idea to idea. She had to rescue Fred, it was her fault that he'd been snatched in the first place. Her eyes searched the room for anything she could use, and they fall on a half shredded moose hat that was tucked under a broken chair leg.

"Seymour," She said softly and _'acio'_d' the ridiculous object of Fred's to herself. She hugged it to her chest as she thought about what she was going to do now. What she really needed was an ally. She didn't want to do this on her own and it was then that she came up with her most brilliant, yet insane plan to date.

Five minutes later, she was knocking on another door. It swung open this time and a surprised Draco Malfoy was staring at her, before his face turned red and he sneered at her.

"Come to gloat?" He asked snidely and Hermione was thrown for a moment.

"What do you mean," She asked as she blew past him and into his room.

He shut the door with a growl and turned to face her.

"How about you completely humiliated me in the dining room with the boggart," Draco said as if talking to an idiot.

"Draco, that's not why I'm here. It's actually quite important, so it would help if you paid me your full attention and didn't say one sarcastic, snarky word until I'm well and done ," Hermione said in a rush as she sat on his bed.

"Go on," Draco said tiredly and he sat on the bed also, although he kept a good distance away from her.

"Now, what I'm about to tell you is confidential, so you must not repeat a word, or I will find you and fillet what remains of your corpse after the rest of my allies are done with you. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Draco said impatiently and Hermione glared at him for a moment before going on.

"Fred has been taken capture by Mrs. Henderson, because I'm an idiot and let slip his true identity and I need your help to get him back," Hermione said and Draco frowned.

"So let me get this straight, you want me to help you, who I hate by the way, to rescue one of my removed family members from another of my family members, who has sheltered me, just because you say so?"

"Well when you put it that way it sounds terrible," Hermione said trying to sound lighthearted but failing miserabley, "Draco, I know all the reasons why you shouldn't help me, but I am begging you. If anything happens to Fred I will never forgive myself."

"Wait a minute, why are you and Fred here under assumed names anyway?"

Hermione wanted to snap at him for changing the subject, but instead she sighed.

"It's a long story that I am not at liberty to reveal," Hermione said and Draco looked thoughtful.

"You're here fishing for information on my family and in particular, my father, aren't you," Draco said after a moment and when Hermione looked about to say something he held up his hand to shush her, "Don't say anything that you'll regret. You can't get in trouble with whoever you're working for if you didn't tell me."

"Thank you," Hermione said surprised and then she turned back to the matter at hand. "Fred is in grave danger and I will do whatever it takes to get him back."

She had unthinkingly brought her wand close to Draco's chest and was nearly jabbing him with it.

"Hey, I'm not really afraid of you. You can't intimidate me into doing what you want" Draco said and Hermione ignored him.

"Draco, where would Mrs. Henderson put someone if she was holding them prisoner," Hermione asked. Draco seemed to think about it and then completely blew off her question.

"You like him, don't you?" He asked and when she wouldn't answer or look at him he said gleefully,"Oh this is way too good, wittle Ronniekins would have a fit."

Hermione turned crimsom, which Draco noted and remarked on.

"Please try to be more mature," She said and he just laughed.

"You really are insane, Granger. Falling for a Weasley, and not the one everyone would expect," Draco said and he smirked as Hermione fumed beside him.

Then as if flipping a switch he scowled at her.

"You want me to help you save him, so you can run off and have your happy little ending," Draco sneered and he shook his head in disgust.

"You're getting a bit ahead of yourself," Hermione said and Draco shook his head as if to stop her.

"That's how these things end," He said as if she were stupid.

"Draco, please, we are wasting time," Hermione said frantically and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Fine I'll help you," Draco said and he stuck out his hand for her to shake.

As her hand clasped his, Hermione had an incling of the trouble she had just gotten herself into.


End file.
